MINI BALLET: “OH, THE OF IT ALL!” (LIBRETTO BY JOHN J KING)
INSTRUMENTS: 2 flutes (flute + flute/piccolo), 2 oboes (oboe + oboe/English horn), 2 clarinets (clarinet + bass clarinet), 2 bassoons (bassoon + bassoon/contrabassoon), 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones (2 tenor + 1 bass), tuba, timpani, percussion (snare drum, triangle, gong), piano, celesta, harp, and string orchestra (violin I, violin II, viola, cello, double bass).
DESCRIPTION: “Oh, the OF It All!” is a new, as-yet-unpremiered “mini” orchestral ballet work by composer Mary Bichner and librettist John J King, celebrating American illustrator Edward Gorey’s fondness for the New York City Ballet and its legendary choreographer, George Balanchine. (The above video contains the libretto text timed to the music, allowing you to follow along with the story in your imagination.)
PREMIERE: TBA
PERFORMED BY: The Budapest Scoring Orchestra
“THE BLUE FAIRY THEME” (FROM WHEELOCK FAMILY THEATRE’S PINOCCHIO)
INSTRUMENTS: viola, piano
KEYWORDS: romantic, graceful, wistful
PREMIERE: January 30th, 2015 at Wheelock Theatre [AEA] for their original production of Pinocchio.
DESCRIPTION: The Blue Fairy performs an elegant solo dance, her movements transforming night into day (0:00-1:06).
PERFORMED BY: Christopher McClain (viola), and Mary Bichner (piano).
“BURNING FEET” (FROM WHEELOCK FAMILY THEATRE’S PINOCCHIO)
INSTRUMENTS: flute, viola
KEYWORDS: frantic, whimsical, comical
PREMIERE: January 30th, 2015 at Wheelock Theatre [AEA] for their original production of Pinocchio.
DESCRIPTION: While sleeping too close to the hearth, Pinocchio’s feet suddenly catch fire. Though the puppet remains oblivious, Pinocchio’s Shadow slowly wakes up (0:00-0:07) with the feeling that something is amiss. Looking down, the Shadow jumps at the sight of Pinocchio’s burning feet (0:08), and proceeds to run around the room attempting to find ways to put out the flames (0:09-0:39). The Shadow even tries sounding noisemakers (0:39-0:41), sadly to no avail. Growing more frantic, the Shadow moves even faster around the room (0:42-0:58) until his eyes finally land on a bucket of water (0:52). He puts in one foot (0:54), then the other (0:56), and hurries off-stage with relief as the viola plays its final flourish (0:58).
PERFORMED BY: Christopher McClain (viola), and Mary Bichner (flute).
“SWALLOWED BY NAMAZU” (FROM WHEELOCK FAMILY THEATRE’S PINOCCHIO)
INSTRUMENTS: glockenspiel, string quartet, piano
KEYWORDS: unsettling, mystical, tumultuous
PREMIERE: January 30th, 2015 at Wheelock Theatre [AEA] for their original production of Pinocchio.
DESCRIPTION: Pinocchio is tossed into the sea, bound by a rope (0:00-0:06). Sensing Pinocchio is in danger, the Blue Fairy appears and sends a magical school of fish to set Pinocchio free, as fragments of her Blue Fairy Theme sound on the glockenspiel (0:07-0:24). But just as Pinocchio begins his attempt to swim to shore, a terrible storm (0:24-0:53) sweeps in, and dancers dressed as ocean waves drag him beneath the surface. A lone viola pierces through the murky water (0:54-1:08) as an unconscious Pinocchio sinks deeper and deeper into the ocean, finally landing in the belly of Namazu (1:09-1:11), the monster catfish.
PERFORMED BY: Christopher McClain (violin I, violin II, viola), Nick Dinnerstein (cello), and Mary Bichner (piano).